Difference in male and female life expectancy in Denmark
Denmark: Difference in male and female life expectancy was 3.8 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3.8
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
179th
of 236 countries
All-time high
5.97
in 1981
All-time low
-0.26
in 1924
Years of data
189
1835–2023
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Denmark, 1835–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for difference in male and female life expectancy in Denmark is 3.8, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and down 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in male and female life expectancy in Denmark peaked at 5.97 in 1981 and was at its lowest, -0.26, in 1924.
That places Denmark 179th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Difference in male and female life expectancy in Denmark, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1835 | 2.39 | — |
| 1836 | 2.26 | -5.4% |
| 1837 | 1.83 | -19.0% |
| 1838 | 1.9 | +3.8% |
| 1839 | 0.7 | -63.2% |
| 1840 | 1.11 | +58.6% |
| 1841 | 0.91 | -18.0% |
| 1842 | 2.08 | +128.6% |
| 1843 | 1.71 | -17.8% |
| 1844 | 1.27 | -25.7% |
| 1845 | 1.78 | +40.2% |
| 1846 | 1.16 | -34.8% |
| 1847 | 1.3 | +12.1% |
| 1848 | 2 | +53.8% |
| 1849 | 2.96 | +48.0% |
| 1850 | 2.28 | -23.0% |
| 1851 | 2.32 | +1.8% |
| 1852 | 1.91 | -17.7% |
| 1853 | 1.49 | -22.0% |
| 1854 | 1.96 | +31.5% |
| 1855 | 1.44 | -26.5% |
| 1856 | 1.41 | -2.1% |
| 1857 | 1.35 | -4.3% |
| 1858 | 1.34 | -0.7% |
| 1859 | 1.87 | +39.6% |
| 1860 | 1.16 | -38.0% |
| 1861 | 1.85 | +59.5% |
| 1862 | 1.25 | -32.4% |
| 1863 | 1.28 | +2.4% |
| 1864 | 2.59 | +102.3% |
| 1865 | 1.46 | -43.6% |
| 1866 | 1.17 | -19.9% |
| 1867 | 1.07 | -8.5% |
| 1868 | 1.12 | +4.7% |
| 1869 | 0.65 | -42.0% |
| 1870 | 1.02 | +56.9% |
| 1871 | 0.98 | -3.9% |
| 1872 | 0.42 | -57.1% |
| 1873 | 0.64 | +52.4% |
| 1874 | 1.28 | +100.0% |
| 1875 | 1.17 | -8.6% |
| 1876 | 1.68 | +43.6% |
| 1877 | 1.32 | -21.4% |
| 1878 | 0.83 | -37.1% |
| 1879 | 1.33 | +60.2% |
| 1880 | 1.24 | -6.8% |
| 1881 | 1.49 | +20.2% |
| 1882 | 1.25 | -16.1% |
| 1883 | 1.73 | +38.4% |
| 1884 | 1.1 | -36.4% |
| 1885 | 1.67 | +51.8% |
| 1886 | 1.05 | -37.1% |
| 1887 | 1.41 | +34.3% |
| 1888 | 1.37 | -2.8% |
| 1889 | 1.81 | +32.1% |
| 1890 | 1.84 | +1.7% |
| 1891 | 1.31 | -28.8% |
| 1892 | 1.63 | +24.4% |
| 1893 | 1.98 | +21.5% |
| 1894 | 1.96 | -1.0% |
| 1895 | 1.59 | -18.9% |
| 1896 | 2.2 | +38.4% |
| 1897 | 2.21 | +0.5% |
| 1898 | 2.36 | +6.8% |
| 1899 | 2.36 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 2.27 | -3.8% |
| 1901 | 2.56 | +12.8% |
| 1902 | 1.77 | -30.9% |
| 1903 | 2.22 | +25.4% |
| 1904 | 1.96 | -11.7% |
| 1905 | 1.79 | -8.7% |
| 1906 | 1.86 | +3.9% |
| 1907 | 1.55 | -16.7% |
| 1908 | 1.74 | +12.3% |
| 1909 | 1.78 | +2.3% |
| 1910 | 2.13 | +19.7% |
| 1911 | 2.22 | +4.2% |
| 1912 | 1.42 | -36.0% |
| 1913 | 1.4 | -1.4% |
| 1914 | 1.94 | +38.6% |
| 1915 | 1.31 | -32.5% |
| 1916 | 2.12 | +61.8% |
| 1917 | 1 | -52.8% |
| 1918 | 1.31 | +31.0% |
| 1919 | 0.4 | -69.5% |
| 1920 | 0.38 | -5.0% |
| 1921 | 0.09 | -76.3% |
| 1922 | -0.12 | -233.3% |
| 1923 | 0.27 | -325.0% |
| 1924 | -0.26 | -196.3% |
| 1925 | -0.09 | -65.4% |
| 1926 | 0.15 | -266.7% |
| 1927 | -0.16 | -206.7% |
| 1928 | 0.4 | -350.0% |
| 1929 | -0.03 | -107.5% |
| 1930 | 0.22 | -833.4% |
| 1931 | 0.24 | +9.1% |
| 1932 | 0.25 | +4.2% |
| 1933 | 0.2 | -20.0% |
| 1934 | 0.7 | +250.0% |
| 1935 | 0.2 | -71.4% |
| 1936 | 0.58 | +190.0% |
| 1937 | 0.8 | +37.9% |
| 1938 | 0.85 | +6.3% |
| 1939 | 1.14 | +34.1% |
| 1940 | 0.97 | -14.9% |
| 1941 | 1 | +3.1% |
| 1942 | 0.81 | -19.0% |
| 1943 | 0.95 | +17.3% |
| 1944 | 0.88 | -7.4% |
| 1945 | 1.34 | +52.3% |
| 1946 | 0.84 | -37.3% |
| 1947 | 1.31 | +56.0% |
| 1948 | 1.91 | +45.8% |
| 1949 | 1.74 | -8.9% |
| 1950 | 1.61 | -7.7% |
| 1951 | 1.72 | +7.0% |
| 1952 | 2.04 | +18.4% |
| 1953 | 1.83 | -10.2% |
| 1954 | 2.23 | +22.1% |
| 1955 | 2.54 | +14.1% |
| 1956 | 2.58 | +1.5% |
| 1957 | 2.69 | +4.0% |
| 1958 | 2.94 | +9.3% |
| 1959 | 2.8 | -4.7% |
| 1960 | 3.03 | +8.4% |
| 1961 | 3.26 | +7.4% |
| 1962 | 3.64 | +11.8% |
| 1963 | 3.51 | -3.7% |
| 1964 | 4.01 | +14.4% |
| 1965 | 3.96 | -1.4% |
| 1966 | 4.1 | +3.6% |
| 1967 | 4.25 | +3.6% |
| 1968 | 4.32 | +1.6% |
| 1969 | 4.42 | +2.3% |
| 1970 | 4.52 | +2.3% |
| 1971 | 4.93 | +9.2% |
| 1972 | 5 | +1.4% |
| 1973 | 5.29 | +5.8% |
| 1974 | 5.53 | +4.4% |
| 1975 | 5.44 | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 5.42 | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 5.68 | +4.8% |
| 1978 | 5.7 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 5.9 | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 5.84 | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 5.97 | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 5.84 | -2.2% |
| 1983 | 5.96 | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 5.77 | -3.1% |
| 1985 | 5.75 | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 5.69 | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 5.8 | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 5.52 | -4.7% |
| 1989 | 5.6 | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 5.49 | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 5.33 | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 5.22 | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 5.11 | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 5.23 | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 4.99 | -4.4% |
| 1996 | 5.1 | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 4.79 | -6.0% |
| 1998 | 4.9 | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 4.54 | -7.5% |
| 2000 | 4.55 | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 4.54 | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 4.49 | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 4.6 | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 4.66 | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 4.37 | -6.2% |
| 2006 | 4.53 | +3.7% |
| 2007 | 4.31 | -4.9% |
| 2008 | 4.33 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 4.23 | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 4.18 | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 4.14 | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 3.96 | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 4.02 | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 4 | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 3.9 | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 3.77 | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 3.93 | +4.3% |
| 2018 | 3.85 | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 3.92 | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 3.81 | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 3.72 | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 3.74 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 3.8 | +1.7% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 3.8 is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.91, 78% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 3.8 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.35, 71% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Difference in male and female life expectancy in Denmark changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | +833.4% | -0.03 | 0.22 |
| 1928 | +350.0% | -0.16 | 0.4 |
| 1923 | +325.0% | -0.12 | 0.27 |
| 1926 | +266.7% | -0.09 | 0.15 |
| 1934 | +250.0% | 0.2 | 0.7 |
| 1922 | -233.3% | 0.09 | -0.12 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 1.82 | 0.7 | 2.39 | 5 |
| 1840s | 1.63 | 0.91 | 2.96 | 10 |
| 1850s | 1.74 | 1.34 | 2.32 | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.36 | 0.65 | 2.59 | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.07 | 0.42 | 1.68 | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.41 | 1.05 | 1.81 | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.94 | 1.31 | 2.36 | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.95 | 1.55 | 2.56 | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.53 | 0.4 | 2.22 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.063 | -0.26 | 0.4 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.518 | 0.2 | 1.14 | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.17 | 0.81 | 1.91 | 10 |
| 1950s | 2.3 | 1.61 | 2.94 | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.85 | 3.03 | 4.42 | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.34 | 4.52 | 5.9 | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.78 | 5.52 | 5.97 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.07 | 4.54 | 5.49 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.46 | 4.23 | 4.66 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.97 | 3.77 | 4.18 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.77 | 3.72 | 3.81 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More health data for Denmark
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -3.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1019 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 31 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.4524 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0247 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.4338 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.026 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is difference in male and female life expectancy in Denmark?
- Difference in male and female life expectancy in Denmark was 3.8 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 5.97 in 1981.
- What is the lowest difference in male and female life expectancy recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.26 in 1924.
- How does Denmark rank for difference in male and female life expectancy?
- Denmark ranks 179th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in male and female life expectancy rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Denmark data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Difference in male and female life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 189 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).